Brigand Team
Brigand Team is a special forces team, in Red Squadron, attached to Special Warfare Group 13. Brigand was specially formed to take on high risk missions, that prove difficult, even for most other SPARTANS. Each member is, in their own right, a criminal, a psychopath or an engine of destruction, that need only be directed. Brigand team is often only used in the most dire of circumstances, when other options are exhausted, or are deployed on operations that break every convention of war, to do the dirty job most can't. History Operations Roster *Ezra-G226: Ezra was one of Ajax's proteges in Gamma Company, and one of the few who shared his talent for destruction at close quarters. He also shared his utter lack of remorse, psychopathic tendencies and violent nature. He barely scraped through the Thunderbolt Initiative and command were initially reluctant to give him clearance to form his own team. At Ajax's request he was given clearance to, and the team that was formed were to be as every bit as dangerous as him. Ezra comes across as quiet, reserved, somewhat of a 'nice guy', but when stirred to violence, he comes out as a brooding psychopath who rarely lets anything in his path remain standing. The team fully comprehend this and follow behind the path he carves out for them. *Darius-S008: Darius was a former Sigma team leader, and second in command of Brigand. Darius has seen the worst in humanity, and this has lead to his grim and sardonic view on the world. His black humour fits very well with Brigand, but his plans for vengeance don't fit well with his higher ups. He makes it no secret that him and Jen are out to collect Othello's head, and won't stop until they have, regardless of the cost to themselves. Darius is a talented operator, and excels at ranged combat. *Daniel-B018: Daniel is a Beta company SPARTAN, and former Headhunter. After losing his partner in a mission with little to no chance of victory, for no conceivable advantage in the war, he went after the commander who sent him on the mission. Butchering him and his command staff in a tornado of vengeance, he readily gave himself up to the MPs. He was taken to the UNSC's secret prison for containing rogue SPARTANS, augmented Insurrectionists and the most dangerous prisoners the UNSC had to offer. There he spent the next few years rotting, until he was offered a chance redeem himself when Bravo went there to suppress a break out attempt. While mistrustful of the brass, he trusts Ajax-013, and he trusts his fellow SPARTANS, but lays most of his trust with long term cell mate, Vanessa Hansel. As a soldier, he is well acquainted with a variety of weapons and tactics, and most commonly operates as a marksman. *Hannah-G136: Hannah was once a member of the illustrious Rapier team, before its eventual disappearance. Due to her own choice, she allowed herself to be captured by a Jiralhanae Warlord so the rest of the team could escape to safety. During her time as a slave, she developed a version of the Stockholm syndrome, referred to as Gakum Syndrome, after the space station it was first recorded on, where slaves felt sympathy with their masters and refused to leave them. When rescued by Ajax-013, Dragoon and Samurai teams, she refused to leave her master. In the end, the Jiralhanae warlord and his warship were destroyed by a nuclear charge, and she was left devastated. Knowing nothing else, she elected to return to active duty after a long period in psychiatric care. She still elects to wear her slave collar from her time in slavery, and has picked up a few other quirks, such as slipping into the Jiralhanae tongue every once in a while, referring to her superior officers as the Jiralhanae word for 'master' and remaining in little to no clothing during her free time. She's also picked up a number of fighting techniques from them, having spent some time as a Gladiator in the arenas of Doisac, such as brutal close combat manoeuvres, a number of grabs and throws and the use of brutal, bladed weapons, and Jiralhanae weapons. Her unusual habits, and distance from humanity, and her fellow SPARTANS created somewhat of a gulf, but amongst the outcasts of Brigand, nobody judges her, and allows her to be herself. *Tycho-S013: Tycho was once one of Sigma's top SPARTANS, before the collapse of the unit cost him everything, even his humanity. An explosion during their fall left him more or less in a vegetative state, with most of his body destroyed or damaged beyond repair. It was elected, at the behest of his commanding officer, Atticus, to rebuild him, regardless of cost. As a result, almost 70% of his total body mass is cybernetic, with all his limbs, a majority of his muscle groups, elements of his spine, his lower jaw, both eyes and a number of his bones, including a large plate in his head. While it was predicted his state would cause irreparable mental harm when he come around, when he did, he just asked whose fault it was, and where they were. Regardless of the toll on his body, he maintains a professional attitude, and a laser like focus to his current mission. Though he surely lost the most out of any of Sigma team, he chooses not to let his hatred and grudge over take him. As a result of his numerous cybernetics, he's faster and stronger than most SPARTANS, and is much more durable. He can operate for longer, at higher tolerances. Tycho usually fights as a rifleman, but can easily adapt to become a lethal sniper, and an even more unarmed combatant at close range, his entire body being a weapon. *Jennifer-S011: Jennifer is a perfect fit for Sigma. She's a violent, psychopathic, rampaging destroyer and belligerent sadist in one neat little package. Formerly a Sigma, she went AWOL to pursue the traitor in their unit. Having lost her closest friend to him, and her next closest friend rendered a vegetable, she went after him with reckless abandon. Before the betrayal, she was kind, eager to help and somewhat naive, but nonetheless a member of the family. When she was tracked down years later, she was very different. She'd become a violent sadist, with a number of tattoos, piercings and a palette of foul language. She had been a petty criminal, a mercenary, a pirate, a slaver, a smuggler and everything in-between. When she was folded back into the UNSC, she was given the promise that they would find Othello, and she could collect his head. In combat, she's volatile, unpredictable, but effective. When her close combat fire power fails, she resorts to a flurry of melee attacks. *Vanessa Hansel: Vanessa Hansel is something of an enigma, and a worry to the brass. While details are spotty, her name first emerges in infamy as a member of an Insurrectionist cell on Dust, before moving to Mamore, then to the world of Neuosha. As details emerged, it became quickly apparent she was an augmented terrorist, responsible for a number of high profile operations, and obvious augmented in some descendent or bastardized copy of the PERSIAN Initiative. Kidnapped as a child, she was augmented, and served various rebel cells willingly, understanding little of what was desired of her. As time went by, she began to cast doubt on the things she was ordered to do, such as target civilians, vital infrastructure, UNSC Engineers fixing a bridge damaged by Insurrectionist shelling and even a UN Aid Centre, where there were no armed soldiers, just doctors treating the ill and aid workers handing out food. These doubts were picked up on by her commanders, and was decided she had out lived her usefulness. She was sent head first into an obvious trap, and was expected to fight to the death. What they had not expected was for a full armed SPARTAN team to be on site. This team neutralized her and captured her during the engagement. The Office of Naval Intelligence had few chances to capture a living rebel super soldier, and immediately had to investigate. She was interrogated, somewhat gently given her obvious disillusion with the rebel cause, and examined closely by scientists and doctors. However, she was by no means willing to cooperate with the UNSC and made an attempt to escape. It was decided she was too difficult to examine and she was deposited in the secret Tartarus prison. She found herself in the awkward position in the prison of being pretty much neutral, not aligned with the UNSC enough to earn sympathy from the guards, and not enough of a die hard rebel to mix with the other prisoners. She looked to be sentenced to an early death when Daniel-B018 stepped in on an attempted rape by other prisoners. The two watched each other's back, and when an attempted breakout was foiled by Bravo, they both leant their aid to the UNSC, recognising that if these got out of prison, especially under the command the mad man leading the breakout. When Daniel was offered to join Brigand team, he agreed to only on the condition that Vanessa come with him. While UNSC brass was initially worried about having a former rebel super soldier this close to classified materiel and operations, she proved that she'd rather fight for the UNSC, than whatever chaos the Insurrectionists fought for. As a former rebel, she not only has a deep understanding of their tactics, but also has picked up a number of their tricks. She can accurately replicate a rebel attack, and is capable of being very inventive with explosives. She's also an excellent interrogator, and a top notch sniper. *DMS-3457-7: Deimos is the support A.I. for Brigand team, and his personality is aptly matching. Modelling himself on the Greek god of terror and dread, he pushes the members of Brigand team onto greater feats of violence, should it serve the mission purposes. He has a deep psychological understanding of his team, but an excellent insight into the psychological condition of the enemy and the local populace, allowing Brigand team to break the enemy's spirit in the most effective manner.